Apparatus for shirring rubber articles



Feb. 4, 1936. A. E. coLLiNs APPARATUS' FOR SHIRRING RUBB`ER ARTICLES Filed April '20, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 4,1936. Y A El CQLUNS 2,029,359

` APPARATUS FOR SHIRFIING RUBBER ARTICLES .Filed April 20, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 45 4@ 47 5 @ijf-*5 4g 5 fia 70 Feb. v4, 1936. A, E; COLUNS. 2,029,359

APPARATUSFOR SHIRRING RUBBER ARTICLES Filed April 20, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb-4, 1936- A. E. coLLlNs APPARATUS FOR SHIRRING RUBBER ARTICLES Filed April 20, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 E-eh 4, 1936. A. E. coLLlNs 2,029,359

APPARATUS FOR SHIRRINGRUBBER ARTICLES Filed April 2o, 1934 s sheets-sneer. 5

" E am? JMC? 52? 5- Feb. 4" APPARATUS FOR SHIRRING RUBBER ARTICLES Filed April 20, 1954 6 Sheets-Shadi 6 mzbg y J3 HP2/zul? .FL-'Df/ins V Y V J0 37% W A. E. coLLlNs 2,029,359

Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNE''ED STATES PA'EENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR SHIRRING RUBBER ARTICLES Application April 20, 1934, Serial No. 721,497

10 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for shirring the margins of a rubber article and simultaneously applying reinforcing bands thereto, and it is especially useful in the manufacture of baby pants and other sheet rubber articles where it is desired to shirr the rubber around an opening and to apply an unshirred ornamental and reinforcing band of rubber thereto.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide accurate placement of the leading end of the strip, to provide for feeding the strip from a continuous supply, to provide automatic measuring and cutting of the strip from the supply, and generally to reduce cost of manufacture and provide an improved product.

Other objects will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

inthe drawings:v

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of the device with an article in place for the operation of shirring the article and applying a band thereto, parts of the sub-structure being broken to conserve space.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the mechanism showing the drive mechanism, the lower frame being removed.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing the transmission mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail View taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4, showing the tape-cutting control mechanism, parts being broken away.

Fig. 6 is a detail View taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 4, showing the shirring and tape feeding mechanism, parts being broken away.

Fig. 7 is a detail View taken on line I-'I of Fig. 4 showing the tape threading mechanism, parts being broken away.

Fig. 8 is a detail view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 4, showing the tension-lifting mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a front View of the operating mechanism, other parts being broken away. Y

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the upper shirring roll and tape feeding roll, indicating a portion of tape, other parts being broken away.

Fig. 11 is a detail plan view of the tape shear.

Fig. 12 is a View of a pair of baby pants with the reinforcing tapes applied.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail View of the article produced, showing the manner in which the band is attached to the shirred article.

Referring to the drawings, themechanism for operating upon the article, which article is shown in Fig. 1 and designated by the lettera-comprises a driven shirring roll Ill, an article supporting roll I I, mounted to swing toward and away from roll I 0, and to press the article thereagainst, a swinging tape guide I 2, to advance the leading end of a tape I3, a tape pressing roller I4, a tensionbrake I5, and a tape cutting shear I6. 'Ihese o parts, which will be more fully described herein, are all mounted on a pedestal Il. They are controlled and operated through a transmission, illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, supported by pedestals I8, I9, and 2U.

Pedestals I1, I8, I9, and 2li are supported by a table 2I mounted on legs 22. A motor 23, for driving the device, is also mounted upon the table.

The mechanism for driving the shirring roll I0 is as follows: A worm 24 is horizontally journaled in pedestal I8 and its shaft 25 is driven by a belt pulley 26 through a clutch 2'I. Pulley 26 is driven from the motor 23 by a V-belt 28. A clutch fork 29 is connected through a link 35, a bell crank 3 I, H

and a link 32, with a pedal 33, and may be operated by depressing the pedal to disengage the clutch 21 and. permit pulley 26 to run free on its shaft. A coil spring 34 is placed under tension between the clutch 21 and a collar 35, fixed to the shaft, and normally holds the clutch in engagement with the pulley.

Pedestal I8 is formed to provide one side of a gear case and its open side is attached to a partition 36 and a cover 3l. A horizontally disposed shaft 38 extends through aligned bearings in case 3l and pedestals I8 and 2D. A quill 39 is journaled on the shaft 38 and through pedestal I8 for a purpose hereinafter to be described. A worm wheel 48 is journaled on quill 39 between pedestal I8 and the partition 36. It meshes with worm 24.

A countershaft 4 I is rotatably supported in bearings in pedestal I8 and cover 3l. A spiral pinion 42 is rotatably mounted on shaft 4I and is driven by the worm wheel 48. A jaw clutch part 43 is formed integral with pinion 42. A sliding cooperating clutch member 44 is feather-keyed to the shaft and normally held in engagement with the pinion by a coil spring 45. When the clutch is engaged the shaft 4I is driven by the worm wheel 4|). A sprocket 46 is mounted on a projecting end of shaft 4 I. It engages a chain 4'I whichy drives a sprocket 48 fixed to a shaft 49 which is journaled in pedestal I'I and has the shirring roll I8 fixed thereto.

The shirring rolls operate in the same manner as those of the Brundage Patent No. 1,371,853. The roll I0 is provided with gear teeth of the desired pitch, depending on the iineness of the shirring desired, and the roll I I is provided with corresponding teeth which mesh therewith. The body portion of the article passing therebetween is formed into corrugations 59 (see Fig. 13) and while held in corrugated form the tops of the corrugations are united by pressure to a plain tape I3. For this purpose the roll I9 is formed With a smooth portion Ilia of width equal to the tape and located between toothed portions |91), |90. The diameter of the plain portion is such that it contacts with the tops of the teeth on roll II, which extend entirely across the face of roll when the teeth of the rolls are meshed.

Roll II is normally spring-pressed toward roll I9, but means are provided for automatically separating the rolls when an article has been .shirred and taped to permit removal and replacement of the articles. For this purpose, a shaft I is journaled in pedestal Il, parallel to shaft 99 and a pair of levers 52, 53, are keyed thereto. A shaft 54 extends through the forward ends of the levers and roll |I is journaled on a projecting end thereof. The rearwardly extending ends of levers 52, 59 are connected by a rod 55. A coil spring 55 has one end attached to rod 55; the other end is attached to a tension screw 51 which extends through an aperture in plate 2| and is threaded to engage a hand-nut 53. The arrangement is such that spring 59 normally holds rolls I9 and in engagement.

Lever 53 is formed with a depending arm 59. Arod 99- connects this arm to an arm 9| fixed to a fulcrumrshaft 62 uiournaled in pedestals I9 and 29; An arm 63 also xed to shaft 92, carries a cam roller 94. This roller contacts with a cam which acts to separate rolls I9 and I during part of the cycle of the machine.

Where the machine is used to shirr the openings in a rubber garment such as that illustrated in Fig. 12, it is desirable to provide means for* regulating the time when rolls I9 and II will be in contact. For this purpose the cam which contacts with roller 59 is made adjustable. One part 95 of the cam is keyed to shaft 38. The other part 66 is keyed to a quill 91 journaled on the shaft and through pedestal 29. A gear wheel 69 is also keyed to quill 91 and has a jaw-clutch toothed portion 99. A mating jaw toothed hand wheel 'I9 is feather keyed to shaft 38. The jaw-toothed portions are held in engagement by a coil spring 'I I. By this arrangement the cam parts 95, 59 are normally locked together but cam part 96 may be shifted circumferentially with cam part 95 by pulling the hand wheel to the right in Fig. 4 and rotating the shaft 38 with relation to the quill 91. Y

With the cam parts locked together the cam is driven as follows: A countershaft l2 is journaled in pedestals I9 and 29. A gear 13, xed thereto, meshes with gear 98. A second gear 19, fixed to the cam shaft, meshes with a gear 75 keyed to quill 39. A collar 'I9 is mounted to slide on a feather key on quill 39 and has a toothed face adapted to engage a toothed clutch face on worm gear 49. A coil spring 'I'i holds the collar 'I9 in enagement with the gear. A wedge cam 18 is formed on collar 19. A roller '|9, carried by an arm 89, fulcrumed on partition 35 and 8| is normally held in such position that it does not contact with the wedge cam T9, so that clutch l5 remains engaged with the worm wheel Arm 89 is connected to a link 52, which through a bell crank 83, and a rod 99, is connected with a pedal 85. A tension spring B9, having one end attached to plate 2| and the other end to rod 82 holds roller 19 out of contact with the wedge. By depressing the pedal 85, the roller 'I9 is forced into the path of wedge I8 and disengages the clutch.

The tape I3 is drawn from a supply 81 and follows a guide 88 under a brush 99 which removes any excess dust therefrom. A drip tank 99a containing a rubber solvent, for moistening the tape,

may also be provided. Before reaching the shirring rolls, the tape I3 passes through a movable guide I2. This movable guide is pivoted to pedestal I'I at 99 and is curved and pointed so as to closely approach the bight of rolls |9 and I4 on its downward movement to advance the leading end of the tape thereto. Alever arm9 I ,attached to the guide, is connected by a rod 92 to an arm 93 fixed to a fulcrum shaft 94, journaled in pedestals |9 and 20. An arm 95, also fixed to the shaft 94, carries a roller 95 which engages a cam Sl fixed to shaft 38. A tension coil spring 98 has one extremity attached to rod 92 and the other to pedestal I'I and acts to hold roller 96 toward cam 9'I. A detent 99, pivoted on the movable guide I 2, contacts with the tape and permits only forward feed of the tape.

The tape holding roller I4 is mounted on a lever Illa fulcrumed on a shaft IUI, supported by pedestal II. An arm thereof, |92, rests against a stop |93 and is held thereagainst by a tension spring |94. Roll I9 is provided with a ratchet wheel |95 fixed thereto. A collar |99 loosely retained on shaft 49 carries a pawl |91. |98 on guide I2 stands in the path of an arm |99 of the collar |96 and on the upward movement of the guide I2 after the leading end of the tape has been fed to the bight of rolls I9 and |4, the lug |98 strikes arm |99 and thereby slightly advances the roll I9 to proper position to register with roll II when roll II is engaged therewith.

Roll I4 is integral with a pinion |I9 (see Fig. which meshes with a gear I||, integral with roll I9, whereby positive driving of roll Ill is accomplished.

To provide tensioning of the tape, an arm ||2 is xed to shaft |9| and carries a brake shoe ||3 which it supports on a coil spring I I4. Shoe I I3 presses the tape against a stationary guide |I5. Arm I I2 also carries an adjustable stop I |I which bears against pedestal II to limit its movement. A'coil spring IIB urges an arm I I9, also attached to shaft |9I, and thereby the brake shoe IIS, toward the strip.

In order to lift the tension device during advance of the leading end of the tape, a cam ||9 is rigidly mounted on shaft 38 and engages a roller |29 carried by an arm |2| pivoted at |22. Arm I2I, through a rod |23, engages arm IIB. The shear I6 is provided to cut the tape at a point near the shirring roll's when the application of the band is nearly completed. This shear comprises a stationary blade |24, mounted on pedestal I'I, and a movable blade |25, pivoted at I 29 to the stationary blade. A coil spring |21 surrounding the hinge bolt keeps the blades in cutting relation. Blade |25 is connected to a rod |28, which enga-ges an arm |29, fastened to a vertical shaft |39. Shaft |39 carries a bevel gear |3I, which meshes with a similar gear |32, fixed to a shaft |33. Shafts |39 and |33 are supported in suitable bearings by pedestal 29. Shaft |33 has an arm |34, fixed thereto, which carries quill 61.

In order to assurethe proper meshing of the Alug teeth on rolls and when separated and thereafter returned to engagment, roll is provided with a ratchet wheel a, attached thereto, and a spring 52a is attached to arm 52, adjacent thereto, frictionally to engage the ratchet and hold the roll against accidental rotation when it is out of mesh with roll ID.

In order to prevent rotation of the shirring rolls during a part of the cycle of operations, and thereby to permit placing and removing of articles, a shifter fork |31 is pivoted at |38 on the partition 36, and one end thereof engages clutch 44. The other end engages a cam |39 fixed to shaft 38. By withdrawing the clutch 44 this cam stops rotation of shaft 4| during part of the cycle.

It has hereinbefore been shown that clutch 21 is disengaged, and therefore all power disconnected from the machine, by the operator stepping on pedal 33. The machine may therefore be stopped at any point in its cycle in that manner. Additional means are provided for automatically throwing out the clutch 21 at the end of a normal cycle of the machine and for permitting continued operation of the shirring rolls while the cam-operated mechanisms are dormant to operate an article other than those for which the machine is set.

For this purpose, the shifter fork lever 29 (see Figs. 1 and 3) 'is attached to a rock shaft 29a. A lever |49 also fixed to the shaft 29a. extends above the clutch pulley 26 and is bent to provide an abutment |40a, a shroud |4| is attached to the lever and extends past the abutment enclosing it on the top and sides. A prop |42 has one end pivoted to a lever |43 and the other end is adapted to enter the shroud and engage the abutment 46a. Lever |43 is pivoted at |44 to the cover 31 and carries a cam roller |45 at its upper end. A cam |46, fixed to shaft 38, has a raised portion |41, adapted to deflect the lever |43. Should such deflection occur when the prop |42 is engaged with the abutment |40a, clutch 21 would be disengaged. A tension coil spring |48 normally holds the prop in such engagement. A rod |49-has its upper extremity pivoted to the prop |42 and its lower extremity pivoted to a bell crank |50. Bell crank |50 is connected to bell crank 83 by a link |5|, so that, when pedal is depressed, the prop |42 is swung downwardly from the abutment |40a and permits the engagement of clutch 21. In this position, should the cam |46 revolve to a point where the hump |41 normally would disengage the clutch 21, no disengagement of the clutch would occur and worm wheel 40 and the shirring rolls would continue to be driven, but since by the act of withdrawing the prop |42, the roller 19 is forced in the path of wedge 18, clutch 16 would be withdrawn, disconnecting the cam-mechanism controlling the opening of the shirring rolls, the cutting of the tape, the lifting of the tension, and the feeding'of the tape end, all of which mechanism would remain dormant until clutch 16 is reengaged. rlhis would happen only when pedal 85 is released. Upon release of pedal 85, prop |42 would enter shroud |4| and during the next movement of cam |46, clutch 21 would automatically be opened. This construction permits a long edge to be shirred and taped continuously by the operator holding down the pedal 85.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Assuming that a limb opening of a pair of baby pants is to be shirred and taped, and that the clutch 21 is held disengaged by the prop |42,

the roller |45 will be resting upon the. hump of the cam |46, the roller will be depressed, land the tape will be advanced under roll 14. The material of the garment is placed over the roller as shown in Fig. 1. The operator momentarily depresses pedal 85, releasing the prop |42 and engaging clutch 21. Clutch member 16 is in closed position so that al1 cams start rotating, but clutch 44 is open so that shirring rolls and are not driven. Roll is first raised and brought into mesh with roll l0 by adjustable cam parts 65, 66 acting together. At this point cam |39 engages clutch 44 and the shirring and applying .of the tape is started. Before the entire leg opening has been shirred, and while the shirring rolls are operating, the cam |36 causes the shear KIii to cut the tape I3. The pressure roll drops as soon as the trailing end of the tape is applied, the adjustable arm being set accordingly. The tension I4 is then lifted from the tape and the threader I2 moves down until the next leading end of the tape is in the bight of rolls l0 and |4. At this point the clutch 44 is disengaged stopping rotation of roll I The threader I2 then raises and its lug |08 slightly advances roll I0 and the tape end. The tension also moves into engagement with the tape. Cam |46 now disengages clutch 21 and the cycle is complete. As previously pointed out, the duration of this cycle may be changed by adjustment of the cams 65, 66, by hand wheel 10.

Should the operator now wish to shirr and band the waist opening of the baby pants, or any greater distance than that for which the machine is set this can be done by holding down the pedal 85 instead of depressing it momentarily. When this is done, the roller 19 is raised into the path of wedge cam 18 so that, rwhile the article is being shirred, clutch 16 is retracted, thereby stopping the rotation of all cams until pedal 85 is released. As the cam |39 is stopped with clutch 44 engaged, the shirring rolls may be operated for an indefinite period. Near the end of the work, however, the operator releases pedal 85, and clutch 16 engages and picks up the cams which continue their cycle, cutting the tape, separating the feed rolls, and rethreading at the end of the shirring and taping operation.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for shirring a margin of a rubber article and simultaneously applying a band thereto, said apparatus comprising a pair of separable shirring rolls between which the article may be fed, means for delivering a reinforcing band to the bight of said rolls, and adjustable cam means for automatically separating said rolls when the shirring o f the article is complete.

2. Apparatus for shirring a margin of a rubber article and simultaneously applying a band thereto, said apparatus comprising a pair of separable shirring rolls between which the article may be fed, means for delivering a reinforcing band to the bight of said rolls, and a cam operated shear stationarily mounted adjacent the bight of the shirring rolls for automatically cutting the band from its supply.

3. Apparatus for shirring a margin of a rubber article and simultaneously applying a band thereto, said apparatus comprising a pair of separable shirring rolls, means for driving said rolls, means for supplying reinforcing tape thereto, a cam operated shear for cutting the tape from its supply, means for automatically separating said rolls and operating said cutting means when a determinate length of material has been shirred,

and means for indefinitely delaying the opening of the rolls and the cutting of the tape at the will of the operator.

4. Apparatus for shirring a marginV of a rubber article and simultaneously applying a band thereto, said apparatus comprising a pair of separable shirring rolls, means for driving said rolls, means for feeding a reinforcing tape thereto, cam means for automatically separating said rolls when a determinate length of material has been shirred, and means controllable by the operator for delaying the opening of the rolls when desired.

5. Apparatus for shirring a margin of a rubber article and simultaneously applying a band thereto, said apparatus comprising a shirring roll, means for driving said roll, a cooperating roll, means for moving the cooperating roll toward and from the shirring roll, means for feeding a tape to said rolls, and adjustable cam means for automatically controlling the rotation and movement of said elements.

6. Apparatus for shirring a margin of a rubber article and simultaneously applying a band thereto, said apparatus comprising a shirring roll, means for driving said roll, a cooperating presser roll, means for moving the presser roll toward and from the shirring roll, means for feeding a tape to said rolls, means for automatically cutting said tape from a supply thereof When the shirring operation is complete, and cam means for determinately controlling the rotation of the shirring roll and movement of the presser roll.

7. Apparatus for shirring a margin of a rubber article and simultaneously applying a tape thereto, said apparatus comprising a shirring roll, means for driving said roll, a cooperating presser roll, means for moving said presser roll toward and from said shirring roll, means for feeding a tape to said roll, means for tensioning said tape, .means .for cutting said tape from a supply thereof when the shirring operation is complete, and automatic means for controlling the rotation of the shirring roll and the movements of the presser roll.

8. Apparatus for shirring a margin of a rubber article and simultaneously applying a tape thereto, said apparatus comprising a shirring roll, means for driving said roll, a cooperating pressing roll, means for moving said presser roll toward and-from said shirring roll, means for feeding tape from a supply to said rolls, means for automatically cutting the tape from the supply at the end of the shirring operation, and means for automatically advancing the leading end of tape from the supply to reset the machine for a succeeding article.

9. Apparatus for shirring a margin of a rubber article and simultaneously applying a tape thereto, said apparatus comprising a pair of shirring rolls between which the marginV of the article may be pressed, a supply of tape, means for guiding said tape to the bight of the rolls, means for automatically severing a length of tape from the supply as it is drawn therefrom, and

means for advancing the leading end of the supply to the bight of the rolls to supply a succeeding article.

10. Apparatus for shirring the margin of a rubber article and simultaneously applying a tape thereto, said apparatus comprising a pair of cooperating shirring rolls normally out of contact With each other, means for supplying a tape to the margin of the article as it is passed therebetween, timing means for holding the rolls in contact with the article during the shirring operation and for automatically opening said rolls when the article has been shirred, and means for adjusting the time of contact to articles of different dimensions.

ARTHUR E. COLLINS. 

